EMERITUS CAREERS: Resume Keyword Tool & ATS Optimization Tips

Did you know that many employers utilize Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), scanning an online resume for keywords
and scoring them for relevance? If your resume does not contain relevant keywords and phrases, the ATS will rank it as
a low match, regardless of your qualifications, thus making your selection for an interview unlikely.

Luckily, the U.S. Department of Labor has created the O*NET-SOC Auto Coder tool, which instantly provides feedback
on your resume based on the job description.

Resume Keyword Tool

By comparing your resume to a job description, the AutoCoder tool will assign your resume a score. The higher your
score, the more likely your resume meets the keywords and phrases associated with a particular job. We suggest
ensuring that your resume scores above 70 out of 100, but the higher your score, the higher your likelihood of getting
that interview!

Follow the guide below to use the O*NET-SOC Auto Coder tool:
Resume Review
• Open the O*NET Auto Coder tool Coder Here: http://www.onetsocautocoder.com/plus/onetmatch
• Copy and paste the area of your resume below your contact information into the job description area and Search

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The industry titles that your resume matches will appear in the box on the right side of the screen. In the example below,
the resume is a strong match with the Management Analyst position with a score of 86. You can also use the AutoCoder
to find example job titles in which you may be qualified. This resume also scored 79 for Market Research Analyst &
Market Specialist but only 47 for Data Scientist.

• A resume is considered a good match with a score of at least 70 out of 100. If this candidate were interested in a Data
Scientist position, the low score would indicate that the resume needs many more matching keywords for an ATS to flag
it as a possible match for a job. You can select any job titles listed in the results to learn more about the scoring criteria
and what keywords can be added to boost their score.

• After selecting a job title, the AutoCoder tool will list the words and phrases matching your resume and job
description. You may notice that not all keywords are weighted the same. Consider including words that are weighted
heavily more frequently on your resume.

• Under the Occupational Data section, you’ll find a description of the position and similar industry job titles.
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Job Description Review
• You may also follow the same steps when you find a job you are interested in pursuing. Copy and paste the job
description into the job description area, add the title above it, then search. Click on the job title with the highest score.

• Under the Matching Words and Phrases section, you’ll find keywords that match listed next to the frequency with
which they appear and their relative contribution to the overall score for that occupation. You will want to review your
resume and add keywords from this list highlighting your skills, experience, and education.

• Tailoring your resume for each position is important! You want employers to easily distinguish how you meet the
qualifications for this position and why they
should call you for an interview.

Alternatively, you can put a job description on a word cloud website (https://www.wordclouds.com/). The largest words in
the word cloud match your skills and experience; it is recommended you highlight them on your resume summary and in the
experience section (and in your LinkedIn profile). Run your resume through the word cloud program to see the message your
document is sending.
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Now that you have taken the steps to identify if your resume meets the suggested AutoCoder score of 70 and above or
have, below are some resources to strengthen resume content and improve your AutoCoder score.

 Go to www.onetonline.org and locate the Occupation Quick Search box on the top right-hand corner
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 Search for the position title(s) in which you are interested in applying.
 Nursing Support Positions Nursing Positions Advanced Practice Positions
 Once you have selected the job title of interest, review the summary report for that job. Especially, compare the
Tasks, Skills, and Work Activities sections with the keywords identified in the AutoCoder tool.
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 Using the summary, review your bullet points to ensure you are identifying skills and abilities related to your
targeted position. A strong bullet point does not simply list a task but highlights a skill/ability relative to the
position in which you are applying.

 After making updates to your resume, use the AutoCoder tool again to see your improved score!

ATS Optimization Tips

 Ensure information is consistent between your resume, the online application, and your LinkedIn profile (dates
and job titles should match, and your experience in these locations should have a similar story).

 Prepare an employment/education history document. Some ATS’s will auto-fill your resume into an online job
application template. Other sites will ask you to enter this information (in addition to uploading your resume).
Have this ready in another document (or you can use your resume) to make sure all information is consistent
between your resume and the online job application.

 As an added assurance that resume template or formatting is not going to make your resume unreadable, save
it as a .txt file and see if it makes sense. It is not going to look as stylized, but ATS’s do not look for style, they
only parse for keywords and phrases. If it needs adjusting, keep adjusting until it is readable in a .txt file. Then,
you will know it is not formatting that is weeding out your resume from an ATS.

 Some talent acquisition experts warn against putting your name and contact information in the Header or
Footer areas of an M.S. Word document. Some software programs may not read the information correctly or at
all if it appears in those top and bottom margins. Type your name and address at the top of the page right below
where the header would be located.

 This process may be time-consuming but creating a targeted resume that encompasses keywords and strong
content will yield a higher likelihood of gaining an interview.

 Always be honest. Your previous employment and references may be verified. Any false information on your
documents will be revealed in these conversations.